Frankenstein

1. Frankenstein • Characters • Group 3

2. Justine Moritz • Justine lives with the Frankenstein family as a servant after her mother dies. When William is murdered, the monster puts a photograph that William was carrying in her pocket, and she is accused of murder. She confesses falsely to the crime out of fear of going to Hell. She is executed. In addition to the people he actually murders, the monster ends up indirectly causing the death of a few others as well. • Justine’s framing for the murder of William by the creature (as well as the actual murder) represents a turning point for the creature.  Previously, he had never felt the desire to do harm to others, or perpetrate the injustices he himself experienced on other innocents. But in seeing Justine, the creature has the realization that she is something else beautiful he can never have, that she would abhor him like all others. However, she is something beautiful that he can destroy • Victor Frankenstein feels tremendously guilty over Justine’s death, and tortures himself endlessly over it.  He feels in some ways that Justine’s murder is the worse of the two he is responsible for (“the other far more dreadfully murdered “(57)) and later, while sick and incarcerated in Ireland, calls himself “the murderer of William and Justine” (138).  He feels that he suffers worse from Justine’s fate than Justine herself, because she had innocence to sustain her, and also a swift death.

3. William Frankenstein • William Frankenstein is the youngest Frankenstein brother, and to Victor, he represents innocence and purity. William and the Creature encounter each other while in the woods and after William insults the Creature, the Creature murders William. The Creature kills William in order to make Victor pay for his abandonment. Williams death is framed upon Justine and eventually she is executed. • With the death of his brother, Victor begins to understand that his actions have consequences. Victor feels a severe amount of guilt after Williams murder, mainly because it was the Creature who committed the crime, but it was Victors fault for creating the Creature. Justine’s execution is also a result of Victors actions, although less direct. • Williams death triggers Victors feelings of resentment and hatred toward the Creature.

4. M. Waldman • Professor of chemistry, who sparks Victor’s desire to pursue and brings up the major question the origin of life. Encourages Victor to study all areas of science. • Explains the idea of man’s great ability to control the universe. Makes Victor feel God-like. “The labours of men of genius, however erroneously directed, scarcely ever fail in ultimately turning to the solid advantage of man kind.” (34) • Would the creature cease to exist, if it weren’t for Waldman?

5. Would the creature cease to exist if it weren’t for Waldman? “Such were the professor's words- rather let me say such the words of the fate-enounced to destroy me. As he went on I felt as if my soul were grappling with a palpable enemy;...” (page 33) • Waldman already knew how to create the monster but was too afraid to do it. He shows Victor the various machinery and teaches him how to use it at the end of chapter three. • “So much has been the done exclaimed the soul of Frankenstein....”(page 33) Waldman sparks the desire to peruse the knowledge of science. Both try to progress beyond established limits. Walman has partial knowledge and Victor explores into the unknown.

6. M. Krempe • M. Krempe is a minor character who appears only briefly in the novel yet has a significant impact on the role of the story’s protagonist, Victor Frankenstein. Before meeting M. Krempe, Victor is interested in studying, “The alchemists” however afterwards( and after hearing from Waldman) he becomes interested in the sciences of life. • “Have you really spent your time studying such nonsense?” • “You must begin your studies entirely anew.”